Vapor electric device



March 16,1943. f H. c. MYERS 2,313,957

I VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE I Filed Aug, 2, 1940 WITNESSES INVENTOR @10 c. w? Henry C Myers u. d W

ATTOR N EY Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ My invention relates to a vapor electric device, and particularly to a control'system for regulating the output of a vapor electric converter. a

In the operation of dynamo-electric machines such a generators or rotary condensers, it is frequently desirable to provide a rapidly variable field for the dynamo-electric. machinein order to control characteristics oi the machine or the line to which it lsconnected. I

In the construction according to my invention, I have provided a vapor electric device preferably of the make-alive type for providing excitation to the field of a dynamo-electric machine from any suitable alternating current source. v

In the construction accordingto my invention, the valves of the converter are. controlled by a suitable grid controlling device which is biased by an electronic regulator connected to and operating in response to the alternating current circuit .to which the dynamo-electric machine is connected.

It isusual to provide regulators having a wide variation of biasing potential in order to secure rapid variation in the current supplied to the field winding. c

I have found it desirable to operate the .converter at a relatively low percentage of its possible output for normal operation or field requirements so that when it is necessary torapidto the supply source, thus permitting much more rapid operation of the dynamo-electric machine than has heretofore been possible.

I have provided a relay in the form of a vapor electric valve connected across the output terminals of the .regulator and so adjusted that at a ,pibdetermined negative voltage the valve breaks down and carries sufilcient current that the output potential of the regulatoris limitedto a potential insufilcient to totally block the operation of the main vapor electric valves. It is, accordingly, an object of my invention to provide a regulating system having a high speed response. I

It is a" further object of my invention to provide a regulating system with means for limiting the negative potential to-a potential short of the blocking potential. I

It is afurther object of my invention to providea valve type relay for governing the output potential of an electronic regulator.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed, description taken in couiunction with the ac,-

companying drawing, in which the figure is a.--

schematicjillustration of a regulatingisystem acly increase the field strength, additional power is available by advancing the commutation andifiiculty has heretofore been experienced begle in the valves of the converter. Considerable cause at the instant when the regulator is de- 7 creasing the power to the field winding, the :biasing potential will be suificiently negative to block the operation of the valves of the converter so that for extreme negative biasing potential only one of the valves will be operative and the remaining valves will be blocked.{

cordingto my-invention. y

In the exemplary embodiment of my invention, the alternating current circuit i is stabilized by means of a dynamo-electric machine 1 2, preferably of the-type known as a synchronous condenser. The field winding 3 of the dynamoelectric machine! is excited by energy supplied from any convenient alternating current source, such as a transformer 4 connected to the alternating current circuit II, the energyfiow from the source I to the field winding 3 being controlledby a vapor electric converter 5 herein illustrated as of the make-alive type. Each valve i of the converter I comprises a vaporize In such circumstances the stored energy of" the field will require a material interval to be returned or dissipated so that the response of I the dynamo-electric machine is not as fast asis desirable. To eliminate this difilculty, I have provided means for so limiting the negative bias that at all times the valves will remain operative even though they are fired very late in the conducting half cycle. 7

When all of the valves are made successively conducting very late in the conducting half cycle, it is found that a result very similar in effect to inversion takes place and that the able cathode l, a cooperating anode I and a make-alive electrode 9. such as described 'in Patent 2,069,283, for initiating a cathode spot on the cathode l.

The make-alive electrode Q-is supplied with energy from any suitable source herein illustrated as so-called anode firing,'that is, make-alive power is secured from the anode I of the tubdi being formeror generator, can be used.

a "The application of the make-alive poientialis I controlled by means of a grid controlled firing tube It. A suitable grid transformer II is produce sufficient negative vided for supplying grid potential to the grids I! of the firing tubes III. Preferably, the grid transformer I I is shifted in phase or arranged in phase relation to the main transformer 4 so that at normal operation the grid devices I will be energized fairly late in the conducting hali cycle to provide normal energy flow to the exciting winding 3 of the dynamo-electric machine 2.

An electronic regulator I3 of a well known type is connected by means of a suitable transformer I4 to the alternating current circuit I and provides a biasing potential variable in response to variations of the operating conditioning in the alternating current circuit I. If the potential of the alternating current circuit I should decrease, the regulator I3 will produce a positive biasing potential so that the grid transformer II will energize the grid devices ill earlier in the conducting half cycle and increase the energy delivered to the field winding 3, and consequently the regulating effect of the dynamo-electric machine 2.

On the other hand, if the potential 0! the alternating current circuit I should increase, the electronic regulator I3 will supply a negative bias to cause the firing tubes III to operate later in the cycle and thus decrease the enOrgy supplied to the field winding 3.

In the event of rapid changes in the alternating current circuit conditions, the electronic regulator i3 may overshoot so that if the voltage should suddenly rise such as by drop of a large portion of its load, the electronic regulator I3 would probias to completely block all of the firing tubes Ill. However, blocking all of the firing tubes I0 causes all of the valves to cease to carry a current, except the one that is carrying the current at the instant of blocking.

The stored energy of the field 3 is, therefore, dissipated relatively slowly and the regulating effects of the dynamo-electric machine 2 is not sufficiently manifest in a short interval of time. To prevent blockin of the grid devices I0, I provide a relay in the form of a vapor electric valve I5, preferably of the two-element type connected across the output terminals of the electronic regulator I3. Then in the event the electronic regulator I3 produces a negative bias greater than the breakdown potential of the vapor electric valve I5, the valve I5 will break down and carry a current which substantially short circuits the regulator to maintain the negative bias at a suitable potential so that the grid devices I!) are not completely blocked and the vapor electric valves 5 are periodically energized so that they carry current, and the energy of the field winding 3'is fed back to the alternating current source 4 in a manner substantially similar to inverted operation of vapor electric devices. If desired a reactor 2| may be placed in series with the valve I5 to improve the feed back in the event of suddenly applied negativ bias.

The breakdown characteristic of the relay tube I5 can be determined by means of a suitable potential inserted between the tube I5 and the terminals of the electronic regulator I3. I prefer to provide this potential by means of a suitable potentiometer l6 energized from any direct current source, such as the bridge type rectifier I1 supplied from a transformer I8 connected to the alternatin current circuit. Obviously, the breakdown characteristic of the tube l5 maybe varied at will by varying the connection I9 to the biasing potentiometer I5.

While for purposes of illustration I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it wil be apparent that changes and modiflcations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A voltage regulating system comprising an alternating current circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said circuit, a field winding for said machine, a source of alternating current potential, a plurality oi vapor electric valves for supplying energy from said source to said field winding, grid means for controlling said valves, 9. source of grid potential, a regulator responsive to the voltage of said-alternating current circuit for impressing biasing potential on said source of grid potential, said regulator being capable of supplying suflicient negative potential to said source of grid potential to block operation of said grid means, and means for reducing the negative potential output of said regulator sumciently to prevent complete blocking of said grid means.

2. A regulating system comprising, in combination, a plurality of main valves of the makealive type, auxiliary valve-means for controlling the make-alive circuits of the main valves, alternating-current energizing-means for said auxiliary valve-means, a source of variable biasing-voltage in series-circuit relation to said alternatingcurrent energizing-means, said biasing-voltage source being subject, at times, to operating-conditions whereby it would develop a biasing-voltage which is sufliciently negative to substantially completely block all of the main valves, and voltage-responsive voltage-limiting means connected in, shunt-circuit relation to the biasing-voltage source for selectively drawing a large current only when the biasing voltage approaches a negative value which would completely block all of the main valves.

3. A regulating system comprising, in combination, a plurality of main valves of the makealive type, auxiliary valve-means for controlling the make-alive circuits of the main valves, alternating-current energizing-means for said auxiliary valve-means, a source of variable biasingvoltage in series-circuit relation to said alternating-current energizing-means, said biasing-voltage source being subject, at times, to operatingconditions whereby it would develop a biasingvoltage which is suillciently negative to substantially completely block all of the main valves, and a non-linear impedance device operatively associated with said biasing-voltage source in such manner as to substantially alter the voltageratio of its output-voltage only when the biasing voltage approaches a negative value which would completely block all of the main valves, whereby a complete blocking of all of the main valves is prevented.

4. A regulating system comprising, in combination, an alternating-current synchronous dynamo-electric machine having alternating-current main-circuit terminals, and direct-current excitlug-circuit terminals, an alternating-current line connected to the alternating-current terminals, a source of exciting energy including a plurality of main valves energized from the alternatingcurrent line, said main valves being of the makealive type, auxiliary valve-means for controlling the make-alive circuits of the main valves, alternating-current energizing-means for said amiliary valve-means, means predetermlnedly responsive to the voltage of the alternating-current line for automatically developing a source of variable biasing-voltage in series-circuit relation to said alternating-current energizing-means, said biasing-voltage source being subject, at times, to operating-conditions whereby it would develop a biasing-voltage which is suiiiciently negative to substantially completely block all of the main valves, and voltage-responsive voltage= limiting means connected in shunt-circuit relation to the biasing-voltage source for selectively drawing a large current only when the biasing voltage approaches a negative value which would completely block all of the main valves.

5. A regulating system comprising, in combination, an alternating-current synchronous dynamo-electric machine having alternating-cup rent main-circuit terminals, and direct-current exciting-circuit terminals, an alternating-current line connected to the alternating-current terminals, a source of exciting energy including a plurality of main valves energized from the alternating-current line, said main valves being of the make-alive type, auxiliary valve-means for controlling the make-alive circuits of the main valves, alternating-current energizingmeans for=said auxiliary valve-means, means predeterminedly responsive to the voltage of the alternating-current line for automatically developing a source of variable biasing-voltage in series-circuit relationto said alternating-current energizing-means, said biasing-voltage source being subject, at times, to operating-conditions whereby it would develop a biasing-voltage which is suificiently negative to substantially completely block all of the main valves, and a non-linear impedance device operatively associated with said biasing-voltage source in such manner as to substantially alter the voltage-ratio of its output-voltage only when the biasing voltage approaches a negative value which would completely block all of the main valves, whereby a com plete blocking of all of themain valves is prevented.

6D A regulating system for controlling the operating characteristics of a make-alive type converter comprising a plurality of malre-alive type valves, an auxiliary grid controlled valve for each make-alive valve for controlling the operation of the make-alive valves, a source of grid potential for said grid controlled valves, a source of variable biasing potential, means for impressing said variable biasing potential on said grid potential, said variable biasing potential being capable of completely blocking operation of said make-alive valves and means for limiting said biasing potential to a value insumcient to completely block said make-alive valves.

71A regulating system comprising, in combination, a supply'circuit, a load circuit, a main valve of the make-alive type connected between said circuits, auxiliary valve-means for controlling the make-alive circuit of said main valve,

a source of alternating control-potential for said auxiliary valve-means, a source of variable biasing-potential in series-circuit relation to said source of alternating control-potential, said source of variable biasing-potential being sub- HENRY c, MYERSl 

